What Muggles Know
by Ice Princess4
Summary: Harry and Ron spend August of their 4th year at Hermione's muggle house... Ron finds unexpected surprises, not only in the muggle world, but in a regular department store. Malfoy finds unrequited love, and Harry just goes with the flow. PG-13 for language
1. Prologue

Hermione finished up double checking her History of Magic   
exam and handed it in. Turning over the probability of getting the   
last question in her exam wrong in her mind, she sat back down in   
her seat. It was a sultry June morning; outside the birds were   
twittering contently, the sun was bearing down on the gray Hogwarts   
rooftop and the smell of fresh cut grass wafted in the open window.   
Over in the corner, Harry was scribbling something on a spare piece   
of parchment to Ron who was spacing out, his head in his hands.   
  
Professor Binns was floating above them, making sure they didn't   
cheat. In the front of the room, Parvati and Lavender were practicing   
their star charts in preparation for Divination. Hermione was lucky,   
that subject was gone since last year. After declaring it useless and   
intangible, she had gotten into a spat with Trelawney and dropped it.   
Hermione sighed. She was itching to get out of this classroom,   
and judging by her muggle watch, they still had a half-hour to go.   
Sigh. Another thought crossed her mind. She had to ask Harry and   
Ron if they wanted to come visit her in the muggle world over   
summer vacation. Her parents had already gave the ok; it was now a   
matter of asking. She would have preferred to have Viktor Krum visit   
instead, but he was on a promotional tour with the Bulgarian   
Quidditch team.  
  
When the bell finally rang, she joined Harry and Ron out in the   
corridor.  
  
"Hey" Hermione started, "what are you guys doing during   
August?" Ron looked rather startled, but Harry, curious to know what   
she was about to ask, responded.  
  
"Nothing, why?" Yes, yes, yes, this is definitely going my way   
Hermione thought  
.  
"Ok, well, I already asked my parents, and if you want to come   
stay with me during August this summer at my house, you can. It'll   
be cool. You guys, well not you Harry, but Ron- you can get to see   
the muggle world, and I can take you guys on a tour." Hermione said   
in a rush.  
  
"Yeah! I mean, yeah I'd like that" Ron was a little eager in his   
intonation.   
  
"Sure, I think I'll be able to worm my way out of the Dursleys',   
but I think we might have to run it by Dumbledore first, 'cause of,   
well you know, the whole Vol-- You-Know-Who thing" said Harry   
quietly.  
  
"I think we can arrange that, Hermione said, You'd probably   
end up going to Ron's and that's not anymore protected than my   
house." Harry nodded, and Harry, Ron and Hermione made their way   
to Gryffindor Tower.  
  



	2. Summer Plans

The term had finally ended. Hermione, Ron and Harry were   
sitting in an empty compartment of the Hogwarts Express, bound for   
King's Cross Station. Hermione had managed to pull off a 110% on   
her Charms exam, while Neville, heard from the next compartment   
sobbing, had managed an unsightly 35% on his Potions exam.  
At the minute, all of them were engaging animatedly in a   
discussion of the August plans. Ron very much wanted to see a   
soccer game, particularly the West Ham team, and Hermione and   
Harry had patiently explain the prices of tickets, that it would cost way   
too much for the lot of them to go. Harry wanted to visit a specialty   
restaurant, preferably Chinese or Italian, he was getting quite sick of   
the Hogwarts entrees.   
That could be arranged, of course, but Hermione had other   
plans, particularly a theme park and maybe a drive-in movie. Ron put   
up a big hissy fit about that one.  
"But if I wanted to see a movie, I could just watch a picture!"   
Ron was on the defensive about watching a muggle movie.  
"Yeah, but pictures don't have plots, and story lines, and   
characters, and emotions and besides, the food is good." Hermione   
exasperatedly explained.  
"Look, we could compromise, and maybe watch a movie on TV,   
that way we can shut it off if you don't like it." Harry said. Hermione   
nodded.   
"Oooh I forgot, you're going to need muggle clothes!" Hermione   
whispered. "Hmm we're going to have to take you shopping". Ron   
looked horrified at the very thought. The Weasley family didn't have   
enough money to buy robes to begin with, let alone buy muggle   
clothes for Ron.   
"You know what? Don't worry I think we'll be able to find   
something" Harry said reassuringly "If worse comes to worse, we can   
always chip in some money". He smiled at Ron, who frowned.  
At that moment, the compartment door slid open, and in walked   
none other but Malfoy. Harry and Ron jumped up, ready for a fight,   
but Malfoy only offered them a smug smile and leaned down and   
whispered something to Hermione. She looked rather shocked, and   
eyed him suspiciously before standing up and following him out of the   
compartment.  
"I wonder what that was about?" Ron whispered to Harry,   
making sure he was out of earshot of Malfoy.  
"I dunno, but I hope she curses him" Harry said bitterly, sighed,   
and pulled out a pack of Exploding Snap to play solitaire with.  
Hermione returned about 10 minutes later, flushed and anxious.   
Two pairs of expectant eyes peered up at her as she took her seat.  
"Uh…well, um, he wanted to talk with me about this summer,   
and I told him about me and Krum in July and you guys in August,   
and…." Hermione trailed off.  
"WHAT?! What did he want to know about your summer for?!"   
Ron and Harry exclaimed. Ron looked horror-stricken and Harry   
looked extremely curious about what she was about to say.  
"Nothing that concerns you or Rita for that matter" she snapped   
at them, and in her jar, Rita Skeeter buzzed impatiently against the   
glass.  
The Hogwarts Express was slowing down slightly, signaling to   
the students that they were almost there. The trio began to gather   
their belongings and pack them in their trunks. For a second, Ron   
saw Malfoy's face appear in the door, and then he was gone. Ron   
shook the image from his mind and stooped to collect Pig's cage from   
the floor.  
***  
  
Out in the blinding sunlight stood Harry, Hermione and Ron in a   
circle. Harry was shifting uneasily from foot to foot. He was never any   
good at saying goodbye. And he was very much looking forward to   
August. Hermione looked anxiously at the two.  
"Hey, um, call me—or send owl post, Hermione said, glancing   
at Ron. Before August, preferably."   
With a quick smile, she turned and disappeared through the   
barrier into the muggle world. Ron and Harry glanced at each other,   
and entered into the muggle world where Mrs. Weasley and Uncle   
Vernon would be waiting.  
  



	3. At Hermione's

AUTHOR'S NOTE*** Ok to answer some questions—You'll find out   
what Malfoy says to Hermione in later chapters, and I happen to be   
American so all money is in dollars (yes I know it should be pounds   
but I'm too lazy to look up the conversion) in this chapter THANX 2   
THE PEOPLE WHO REVIEWED------R/R TO THE PPL WHO   
DIDN'T! –Ice Princess  
  
  
  
  
Ron snapped Flying with the Cannons shut for the fiftieth time   
and rolled over on his bed. Staring at the ceiling and trying to ignore   
the ghoul upstairs, he wondered about August. Only a week away   
until Hermione's. He had been in a muggle town only twice, once to   
pick up Harry and the other to buy their lost car for their dad's muggle   
work. It was interesting how muggles got along without magic. Now   
that he was going to venture into the muggle world for two weeks his   
father was bombarding him with questions and directions. It was   
driving him nuts.  
  
"Ron, make sure you know how to work a TV when you come   
back…Ron check out pencil sharpeners for me…Ron see what you   
can find out about floppy disks." Mr. Weasley was relentless.  
  
One floor below, Ginny was huddled on the sofa pretending to   
listen to the Wireless Wizarding Network, but was really   
eavesdropping on her parents chat about their summer plans. They   
were visiting Charlie this summer because last summer they paid Bill   
a visit in Egypt. Which meant she was stuck alone in the house with   
Percy, Fred and George. She shuddered at the very thought.   
  
Back up in Ron's room, there was a sudden tapping on the   
glass. It was unmistakable whom the snow-white owl belonged to. He   
pushed open the pane of glass and Hedwig soared into his bedroom,   
deposited a letter into Ron's hands, landed on his headboard and   
started preening itself. Ron tore open the letter from Harry and to his   
surprise, Hermione.  
  
  
Dear Ron,  
  
I'm at Hermione's, the Dursleys found out about my plans and   
kicked me out sooner than I thought, which is probably for the better   
anyway. Come over as soon as you can! Enclosed are directions (for   
cars) or just have your dad hook up her fireplace to the Floo network!   
See you soon, here's Hermione!  
- Harry  
  
Hi Ron, I hope you're alright…you're welcome to come over and stay   
for the rest of August, we'll see you onto the Hogwarts Express, come   
September first. Harry's here (Obviously) so please come! You're   
going to need two major items: Muggle money & clothes! You can get   
it converted in Diagon Alley- I do every year. See you soon!  
  
-Hermione  
  
  
Ron smiled as he finished the letter. It made him feel better   
about the money crisis his parents were having. They had almost   
drained all their savings for their trip to Romania this summer. He bit   
his lip wondering where they were going to scrape up the money to   
finance his trip. With trepidation, he headed downstairs to show his   
parents the letter and beg for money.  
  
To his complete shock, his parents totally agreed and gave him   
$100 in muggle cash! Where or how they came up with that money   
bewildered him, but he suspected that his dad finagled some funds   
from the Ministry, saying it was 'work related'. Now he was free to go.   
He supposed he could wear robes until he could buy muggle clothes   
in the muggle world. He floated around his room, throwing articles of   
clothing and toiletries into his old and battered suitcase. He pocketed   
the cash, picked up the suitcase and headed downstairs, hoping that   
the Floo Network was already hooked up to Hermione's house.  
  
When he arrived on the bottom floor of the Burrow, Mr.   
Weasley gave Ron a list of items to 'investigate'; Mrs. Weasley gave   
him a quick hug and kiss, and prepared the Floo fire for him. Ron   
stepped in and was on his way.  
  
Meanwhile, at Hermione's, Harry and Hermione were sitting at   
the kitchen table playing poker. From the moment Hermione started   
playing, Harry could tell she was a card shark. Hermione's flushes   
straights and pairs shot down hand after hand of Harry's. After the   
fourth loss, Harry slapped his cards down on the table.  
  
"I give up. I suck at this game. You have to be cheating." Harry   
said exasperatedly. Hermione smiled and collected the cards.  
  
"No Mister Potter, I think I'm just a lucky girl. Any ideas what to   
do until Ron decides to show up?"  
  
Harry thought she was a bit eager, but kept the thought to   
himself. After all, she hadn't seen him all summer. He pushed back   
his chair, got up and sauntered into Hermione's den. She had a 50-  
inch TV and a satellite dish in there, and since he never got to watch   
TV at home, flopped down on her leather sofa and turned the TV on.   
Instantly 300 channels were at his fingertips and he chose a soccer   
game to watch.   
  
The Hungarian team had just scored a goal when a low rumble   
was emitted from the living room. Ten seconds later there was an   
unholy crash and the familiar voice of Ron Weasley calling from the   
living room. Harry scrambled off the couch and raced at breakneck   
speed to greet Ron.   
  
Hermione skidded into the living room and was greeted with a   
rather humorous sight. There, in 5 feet 10 inches of all his glory was   
Ron, with sooty robes and a charcoal-smudged face. Hermione   
laughed, he looked somewhat like a lanky bear.  
  
"Fancy seeing you here Ron." Hermione giggled at the same   
moment Harry arrived in the doorway.  
  
"Ron!" Harry said in disbelief. "I'd never thought you'd make it!"  
  
"Of course I would I had to get away from dad. 'Ron take a look   
at this. Ron check that out'. I would have had to have been committed   
to an asylum if I would have been there any longer."  
  
Hermione smiled, took his suitcase and led the way upstairs.   
Ron and Harry trailed behind her. Presently, she pushed open a door   
to the left at the top of the stairs and Hermione's room opened up   
before them. If it were possible to trap summer inside, this would   
have been it. It had a landing at the bottom- her chill space, and on   
the left, 4 steps led up to her sleeping space. It was all hardwood   
floored and the walls were a pastel yellow. Large windows covered   
one wall, and were covered by translucent billowing curtains. It had a   
high ceiling and Christmas lights were looped every which way   
across it. A large breezy plant stood in the corner. Two cots were set   
up on the landing, where Harry and Ron were sleeping. She plopped   
Ron's luggage on a cot and turned to face them.  
  
"Well?" Hermione questioned. Harry and Ron were in awe,   
especially Ron. Her room looked like something taken out of Better   
Homes and Gardens, which Harry figured, probably was.   
  
Ron crossed to the other side of her room and squatted by a   
black box with buttons on it. It was surrounded by two other cloth   
covered boxes.   
  
"No don't…!" Hermione didn't even get to finish her sentence as   
Ron pressed the power button on her stereo. At full volume over her   
surround sound speakers came Hole's 'Celebrity Skin'. Ron was so   
surprised that he stumbled and fell backwards. Harry collapsed   
laughing at Ron's expense and in one swift movement, Hermione   
crossed the room and tapped the off button. She stood over Ron with   
her arms crossed and tried not to laugh at his amazed and dazed   
expression.   
  
"What was that? I didn't…it just…what music…." Ron sputtered.  
  
"It's a stereo that plays muggle music off CD's that have music   
programmed into them" Harry explained to Ron, who was still lying on   
the floor, propped up on his elbows. "CD's are circular things that   
have music encoded on them, and this thing," Harry tapped the   
stereo, "Decodes them to play over those speakers. It's similar to a   
wizard radio, except that it uses electricity and doesn't have the   
W.W.N."   
  
"Oh."  
  
  
  



	4. Nordstrom Sounds Like a Goblin's Name

A/N—You'll find out about Malfoy soon…chill. Thanks   
to the reviewers and for those who gave me   
suggestions! R/R to the people who didn't!  
  
  
  
The rest of the evening past rather uneventfully,   
except that the doorbell startled Ron when   
Hermione's parents arrived home from work at 8   
o'clock. They were very pleased to meet Hermione's   
best friends, and rose to the occasion magnificently   
when they asked for permission to bust out the   
karaoke set at two in the morning. Harry and   
Hermione spent the witching hours of the morning   
entertaining Ron with muggle music and their horrible   
harmonies. By four in the morning, they were raiding   
the fridge for ice cream and cold pizza and ended up   
falling asleep before they finished, surrounded by   
empty pizza boxes and ice cream cartons.  
  
Harry rolled over on his cot to find Ron snoozing with   
his mouth hanging open on his cot. Judging from the   
heavy breathing coming from the platform, so was   
Hermione. Harry lay back on his cot to think. Think   
about why he was laying here still breathing, while   
Cedric was six feet under. How Cedric had so much   
life left in him, and it was all taken away in a second.   
Cedric would never see the End-Of-School Ball or fall   
in love. It wasn't fair, Harry thought, but what is? Life's   
a bitch, Harry realized. Life goes on, and if you don't   
move with it, you're dead. He closed his eyes.  
  
"WAKE UP!!" Harry awoke with a start and fell off the   
cot in shock, clad only in boxers and socks to sounds   
of uncontrolled giggling. Hermione had nearly wet her   
pajama pants from laughing at Harry. Ron, however,   
was still sleeping.  
  
"That wasn't funny!!" Harry muttered angrily to   
Hermione. In response, she just pressed a finger to   
his lips to shush him and leaned over to Ron's ear.  
  
"WAKE UP!!" Harry was dearly hoping that Ron would   
fall too, but instead his eyes popped open and turned   
his head so fast towards Hermione that they knocked   
heads.  
  
"Ow!" Ron and Hermione exclaimed, holding their   
foreheads. Now that was funny. Both looked darkly at   
Harry as he started to laugh hysterically.  
  
"Serves you right Hermione" he choked out.  
  
"So ANYWAYS, today we have to buy some muggle   
clothes for Ron and tonight I got tickets to Teen Night   
at the Electric Lemon." Seeing the puzzled looks on   
both their faces, Hermione hastily added, "Night club."   
  
"Um Hermione…I---we don't dance."   
  
"Well then, I guess you'll have to learn!" Hermione   
smirked, stood up and disappeared out the door to   
brush her teeth. Harry and Ron exchanged looks.   
Dance? No way, Ron thought. Since when did   
Hermione dance anyway? She was a lot more relaxed   
at home than at school, he noticed. He suspected she   
was a closet slacker. Hah, that was pretty funny.   
Shaking that thought from his mind, Ron stood up and   
went down to breakfast.  
  
They had a wonderful breakfast of bacon, eggs and   
toast, and then prepared to take Ron muggle   
shopping. He was currently borrowing Harry's stuff   
and he felt his loan had more than expired and   
besides, he was really looking forward to using those   
strange green bills muggles called money. After   
breakfast, they all piled in Hermione's parents   
Explorer and headed to the Garden City Center,   
Hermione's local mall.  
  
After an hour of constant bickering on which store to   
look in, they finally settled on Target. Ron was being   
stubborn about the name of the stores ("No!   
Nordstrom sounds like a goblin name!") And Harry   
wanted something non-expensive. They entered and   
headed directly to the guys department. Now the fun   
could begin.  
  
Ron immediately saw two or three different shirts and   
with help from Harry, chose the right sizes. Hermione   
got the job of finding shorts and a pair of jeans for   
him, and when Harry and Ron were all set, they   
headed off to the dressing room, ("Dressing room?   
What? You don't get fitted for these things? That's   
why those pants guys wear to the mall are so baggy!")   
And Hermione went to check out the junior's   
department.  
  
Ron threaded his way through the many sales racks   
of muggle clothing towards the dressing room when   
he heard Harry call his name.  
  
"You go on to the dressing room, I'll be there in a   
sec." Harry was pawing through a rack of hats.  
  
"Ok" Ron called back. Absently, he turned around;   
arms full of clothes, and ran right smack into the   
hottest girl he had ever seen. Everything Ron was   
carrying flew everywhere and so did the girl's.   
  
"Oh! I'm sorry!" Ron stooped to collect the clothes,   
feeling really dumb.  
  
"No wait, I'll get those. It was my fault. I wasn't   
watching where I was going." The girl said grabbing   
Ron's arm to stop him. Ron felt a little twinge in the pit   
of his stomach that felt like it had nothing to do with   
embarrassment. Oh god, he thought, I feel like such   
an ass.  
  
"What's your name?" the girl questioned. "Mine's   
Jenna." She smiled. Now that they were looking face   
to face at each other, it was a lot harder to talk.   
  
"R-Ron" Now that she was so close, he could get a   
better look at her. Chestnut brown hair that cascaded   
to her shoulders framed a face so cute it was   
unbelievable, her blue eyes crinkled when she smiled.   
Ron stooped to pick up the last of her items lying on   
the floor and proceeded to turn crimson red after   
discovering it to be a bra.  
  
The girl giggled slightly at his reaction. "Where do you   
live? I live around here."  
  
"N—Near Ottery St. Catchpole. A couple miles   
outside of it."  
  
"Hey Ron! Watcha got there?" Harry called over.  
  
"Uh I gotta go," Ron said urgently.  
"No wait—who's you're friend?"   
  
By this time Harry had arrived at Ron's side and   
quickly introduced himself.  
  
"Harry Potter." He extended his hand.  
  
"I'm Jenna Laughery. I just met your friend Ron here."   
Ron blushed even more, if it was possible, while she   
shook Harry's hand.   
  
"JENNA?!" All three of them turned at once, and   
discovered Hermione with a shocked look on her   
face, holding a bathing suit. "I haven't seen you since   
fifth grade! How are you?!" She rushed over to hug   
Jenna.  
  
"You know her?!" Harry and Ron said at the same   
time.  
  
"Of course I do, we were best friends in elementary   
school" She gave them a dirty look as though they   
should have known it all along.   
"Were you flirting with her?" Harry and Ron both   
tinged pink at this remark.  
  
"No!" I mean yes, Ron added underneath his breath.  
  
"Hey I got tickets to the Electric Lemon tonight—want   
to come?" Hermione asked Jenna.  
  
"Sure! I've been in the mood to grind lately." Ron   
found this statement strange, but kept the thought to   
himself. He'd better get back to picking out an outfit   
for tonight, it looked like it was going to be interesting.  
  
*End of Chapter 3 *  
  
Sorry about the big cliché on how Ron met   
Jenna…couldn't think of anything else, my brain is   
kinda fried right now. Check back soon for Chapter 4!  
  
~ Ice Princess  
  



	5. 

A/N—For all you Malfoy fanatics out there: You'll be somewhat   
satisfied by this chapter Enjoy…Thanks for the reviews every1, R/R!  
***  
  
They paid for their purchases at Target and headed out to the mall. A   
quick stop in The Watchmakers told Harry what time it was, and they   
stopped to eat at Sbarro's. An extra large with pepperoni covered the   
appetites of the four of them. Mouths full of pizza, Jenna and   
Hermione told the story of their friendship.  
  
"Well, we met in third grade, when Hermione broke all the crayons   
because she was mad at our teacher, and then I slipped on them and   
nearly busted my head open." Jenna said thickly, chewing a mouthful   
of gooey pizza at the same time. "We were inseparable after that.   
And then she had to go to that private school. What's the name   
again?"  
  
"Helga's Academy" Hermione lied, exchanging looks with Harry and   
Ron that said shush. "We all go there."  
  
"So where is that place anyway? Do you guys have to wear   
uniforms?" Jenna questioned.  
  
Harry was the first to answer. "It's about 5 hours north of London. And   
yeah, we gotta wear black uniforms." He said, smiling at her.   
  
"S-So where do you go to school, Jenna?" Ron asked.  
  
"United Public High." She smiled again, making Ron go red again.   
"I'm in ninth grade. Are you on any of the sports teams there? Maybe   
we'll play you sometime."  
  
"Um Harry plays…. Soccer for Helga's, and I play…lacrosse." Ron   
was pleased with himself for coming up with a muggle sport on a   
moment's notice. Hermione just stared at him.   
  
"Really? So do I!! What position do you play?" Uh oh, Ron thought.   
Now I've really got myself into a jam.  
  
"Center." Hermione came to Ron's relief after a minute of him staring   
blankly at Jenna. He smiled and picked up on her hint.  
  
"Yeah…Center, I was just trying to remember because I played so   
many positions last year." He lied. Harry was just staring amusedly at   
the whole scenario. "Oh look at the time, we've got to go!"  
  
***  
  
Hermione, Harry, Ron, and Jenna finished up their pizza at Sbarro's,   
headed for the exit, bid Jenna farewell, and she, in turn, hugged each   
of them (Ron went slightly pink again). Jenna was ecstatic at the   
invite to the Electric Lemon, and agreed to meet them at Hermione's   
at eight. Ron was feeling rather apprehensive about this; he didn't   
want to learn to dance in front of Jenna or Hermione for that matter.  
  
The car ride to Hermione's went without incident, Hermione's parents   
dropped them off and left to pick up a router saw at the harware store. It   
was starting to get dark, and Hermione couldn't find her key.   
  
"It was here a second ago!" she said, frantically searching her purse.   
"Where could it of gone?"   
  
Suddenly, a small clink on the porch floor told them it had fallen out of   
her purse.  
  
"Shit!" Hermione snarled, and bent over to pick it up.   
  
Presently, she slid the key into the lock, and opened the door in time   
to hear an enormous crash in the house.   
  
"What the hell was that?" Ron questioned, peering around the   
doorjamb.  
  
Cautiously, they pushed the door open and entered. Nothing looked   
out of place or even touched since they had left. They fanned out and   
searched the kitchen, dining room, and den and met together in the   
hallway when they heard a rustle from the living room. Speaking only   
in glances, they picked up golf clubs from the closet and leapt in the   
doorway of the living room.  
  
Harry and Ron were too shocked to speak when they found out what   
was making the noise. Hermione recovered from the initial surprise of   
what was sitting on the couch enough to speak first.  
  
"MALFOY??"  
  
  
***  
  
Oooh CLIFF HANGER!! Don't worry I have the next chapter all   
written and it'll be posted ASAP. Sorry for the short chapter---I   
promise the next one will be longer. G2G, please review!  
  
~ Ice Princess  



	6. The Electric Lemon

Malfoy dusted off his robes and stood up to face the shocked trio   
standing in the doorway.  
  
"Fancy seeing you here, Hermione" he said with a smirk.  
  
"But…But…But I thought you were joking on the train…how…" A   
flabbergasted Hermione trailed off.   
  
Harry was next to recover. He strode right up to Malfoy and…  
  
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE??!!" Harry spat into   
Malfoy's face, and would have smashed him right in his smug pointed   
face if Hermione hadn't of jumped in-between the two.  
  
"Hermione! What is he doing here?" Ron suddenly came to his   
senses and was demanding an explanation to this nonsense.  
  
"Well, er…on the train…er, remember? Um, he asked me to, um, stay   
here too. I, um, thought he was, um, joking." Hermione said meekly.  
  
"Well Malfoy, you better turn your swaggering ass around and go   
home!" Ron shouted.  
  
Malfoy smirked again, and moved to the side of the room, revealing a   
burnt out Floo fire. "Sorry boys, if I could, you know I would, but I   
seem to have forgotten my Floo powder."  
  
At this point Hermione sank down on the couch, her head in her   
hands, and heaved a great sigh. Ron and Harry were still standing   
around Malfoy, who was eyeing up her computer.  
  
"Great. Just swell. You're going to have to spend the night until we   
can get more Floo powder. Oh no! We're going to have to take you to   
the Electric Lemon! Oh no again! It's almost eight!" Hermione said,   
jumping up from the couch. "C'mon!"  
  
***  
  
Ron had never gotten ready faster in his life. Decked out in a pair of   
khakis and a wife beater with an open loose plaid shirt over it, he   
dressed and rushed out of the bathroom so Harry, Hermione and   
(Grrr) Malfoy could use it. Harry emerged with a T-shirt with some   
muggle logo plastered on it and jeans. Malfoy came out with   
something similar, except that his T-shirt had some weird flame   
design on it. Ron couldn't figure out for the life of him where Malfoy   
had managed to get his hands on muggle clothes, but now wasn't the   
time to ponder that.  
  
Hermione took the longest to get ready. The three boys sat in the   
hallway staring daggers at Malfoy until the bathroom door finally   
opened. A very nervous Hermione was standing there, arms crossed   
over her bare midriff. Ron heard either Harry or Malfoy gasp loudly.   
Hermione was dressed in a cutoff fitted T-shirt that had a sideview of   
some kind of bunny in a collar on it and shorts. Dangling from her   
ears were enormous hoops and her hair had lost its' bushiness again.   
Ron could just make out a bottle of Sleekeasy's Hair Potion on the   
counter in the bathroom.   
  
"Well?" She questioned. No one said anything for a moment and the   
silence was broken finally by Harry.  
  
"Er---wow" he said awkwardly. "It's, er, unlike you. To dress like that, I   
mean" he added quickly. Suddenly, there was a rustling behind Ron.   
He twisted around in time to see Malfoy stand up, walk toward   
Hermione and pull her hand off her stomach.  
  
"What's this, Granger?" He was gesturing toward her navel. Ron did a   
double take. At first it looked like a normal belly button, but on closer   
inspection…there was a ring shoved through it. Hermione turned   
bright red at the same time the doorbell rang.  
  
"K-Krum…he got a tattoo a-and convinced me…" She was a brilliant   
cherry red now, and to hide her mortal embarrassment, grabbed a   
black jacket from the hall closet and went downstairs to get the door.  
  
***  
The doorbell turned out to be Jenna. Hermione greeted her warmly   
and led her to the den, where it was totally silent, Ron and Harry   
glaring at Malfoy, who wore a perpetual smirk.  
  
"Malfoy, this is Jenna. Jenna, Malfoy." Hermione said curtly. Malfoy   
nodded slightly, still smirking, and started fiddling with the remote to   
the TV. Jenna slid down on the leather couch next to him and showed   
him the correct power button.  
  
Suddenly Ron stood up and strode over to Hermione.  
  
"I need to talk to you. Now." They left the den with curious stares from   
the other three, and went to the kitchen. Ron rounded on Hermione.  
  
"I can't take it! He's driving me nuts! Get him out of here or I'm gone   
Hermione!" Ron hissed in Hermione's face.  
  
"Ron! There's nothing I can do, and if there was he'd be gone now   
and you know it! And how are you supposed to leave if we can't even   
get Malfoy out of here?!"  
  
"Well why is he here any ways??!! If he's such a mudblood hater why   
the hell is he here in a muggle house with muggle clothes on??!!   
Please inform me Hermione. What exactly did he say to you on the   
train??!!"   
  
"Um he said he liked my outfit at the ball, and…" Hermione bit her lip,   
unwilling to continue. "His mum and dad split up after You-Know-Who   
returned, and he's living with his mum…she wanted him to spend   
time in the muggle world…cuz…cuz…she doesn't want him to turn   
out like his father, all evil and anti-muggle."  
  
"And may I ask why your house Hermione?"  
  
"I don't know, Ron."   
  
***  
  
Everyone clambered into Hermione's parents SUV and they started   
off for the Electric Lemon, located about 20 minutes from Hermione's   
house in London. Hermione had twisted around in her seat that she   
shared with Harry to chat with Ron and Jenna, who were sitting in the   
back. Ron looked very pleased that Malfoy was banished to the front   
passenger seat.  
  
"So what's in this Lemon, Jenna?" Ron asked.  
  
"Lemon? Oh you mean the club! Well…" And she was off discussing   
the sound systems, people and music ("Techno! Oh that's the stuff   
inside computers!") Ron was captivated and barely even talked to   
anyone else but Jenna the whole way.  
  
Harry and Hermione chatted idly about little things until Malfoy   
suddenly turned around and leaned over Harry (with a nasty look of   
course) to reach Hermione's ear.  
  
"You know how to dance, right?" He whispered to her.  
  
"Of course I do!" Hermione said defensively. "Why?" She added   
suspiciously. He offered another smug smile and turned back to his   
discussion of the wizarding world with Mr. Granger.  
  
***  
  
Harry had never been inside a club, but he had heard of them. It was   
teen night tonight, and the place was packed with an under 18 crowd,   
gyrating and bouncing to the tune of huge speakers concealed in the   
floor, ceiling, and indoor foliage. It was in the style of a coca-cabana,   
with fake palm trees everywhere, and real sand for flooring. The   
dance floor was glass, and underneath, crystal blue water shimmered   
like the sun.  
  
They checked their jackets and scooted into the club. Harry and Ron   
just stumped around before Jenna grabbed both their arms and   
pulled them off to a corner of the dance floor, where both proceeded   
to blush.  
  
"Watch Harry", she called and pulled Ron towards her. He couldn't   
believe what she was doing to him, dancing really, really, really close   
to Ron, grinding, she called it, while Ron stood stock-still and turned   
every shade of red imaginable.   
  
"C'mon move your hips or something!" Jenna called over the tumult of   
the beat. Ron started doing this jerky robot-like dance, and Harry had   
to duck off the floor before he would explode with laughter. Hermione   
and Malfoy were nowhere to be seen, and he sat down on a flimsy   
folding chair, observing.  
  
Out of nowhere, a pair of hands clapped over Harry's eyes. He yelled   
and jumped up…  
  
"CHO?!" Harry couldn't believe his eyes. Here was the Ravenclaw   
seeker herself, in a muggle club called the Electric Lemon.  
  
"Wha…Where…why are you here?" A million questions were running   
through his mind.  
  
"I'm muggle-born Harry. You didn't know that?" She smiled, which   
was welcome for a change, the last couple of times Harry saw Cho,   
she was sobbing over Cedric. Life goes on, he supposed.  
  
Cho grabbed Harry's arm, which gave him a strange tingling   
sensation, and tried to lead him onto the packed floor. Oh, no, Harry   
thought. I hope she's not going to make me…  
  
"Dance with me Harry!" She called to him. Harry's lips formed to say   
no, but instead the exact opposite came out.  
  
"Yeah, sure." I mean no! Why did I say that! The last thing in the   
world I wanna do is make an ass out of myself in front of Cho, Harry   
thought. Halfheartedly, he led Cho drag him onto the floor as a slower   
number came on, which was somewhat comforting, because he had   
done this once before.   
  
Cho looked coyly up at Harry, whose heart was beating so fast he   
thought he might go into cardiac arrest. Trying to concentrate on   
something other than how stupid he felt, he placed his sweaty palm   
into Cho's and put his hand around her waist. She did the same, and   
they danced with Harry hyperventilating, and Cho giggling slightly at   
his reaction.  
  
***  
That's all for now! Malfoy's here for all those fanatics, more Cho &   
Jenna in the next chapters, and the storyline gets even more   
complicated. Stay tuned for more…It'll be posted ASAP!  
  
~Ice Princess  



	7. Witches, Wiccans and a Blonde Bimbo

Ron was fast becoming tired of dancing, he thought if he would stay   
another minute on that floor in front of Jenna like that, he might wet   
himself. Still pink from embarrassment, he dragged Jenna off the floor   
and onto two barstools to get some bottled water. While he was   
leading Jenna off the floor, she suddenly stooped and picked   
something up.  
  
"Hey wait Ron, look at this! It's beautiful!" Jenna enthused. A tiny   
charm of a serpent lay in her palm. It was silver, intertwined with jade,   
and had two little red stones for eyes. Ron looked at it apprehensively   
remembering the Slytherin snake, but shook the thought off quickly,   
why would something like that be in a muggle dance club?  
  
Jenna strung the charm on her chain, containing another charm. Ron   
looked at it curiously, then extended his neck a bit more to see what   
the other charm was. Jenna was so busy gulping water that she didn't   
even notice Ron staring directly at her collarbone.  
  
"Jenna? What's this?" Gently, Ron picked up the other charm, which   
looked like a star in a circle.  
  
"Oh! Um, it's my Witch Symbol." She said softly.  
  
Ron was taken aback. A Witch symbol! But…she was a   
muggle…wasn't she? How did she know…?  
  
"A witch symbol, huh." Ron said, trying to hide the shock in his voice.   
"So you're like us…but, but where do you go to school then? Do you   
go to Durmstrang or something?"  
  
Jenna gave him a strange look.  
  
"Ron, I'm Wiccan. Do you know what that is? We do magick, not with   
wands or anything, mostly short spells and incantations, in tune with   
nature and the supernatural. It's not what most people think a witch   
is. We don't ride broomsticks or wear pointed hats or anything. Those   
things don't exist, you know."  
  
So she didn't know about Hogwarts or the wizarding community. She   
was a muggle witch, if that was possible. Ron made a mental note to   
ask Hermione, Ms. Hogwarts, A History, about Wicca later.  
Jenna must have thought the same thing about Ron and Durmstrang,   
because they both questioned each other at the same time.  
  
"Where's Hermione?"  
  
***  
  
As soon as Ron and Jenna had left them, Harry drifted over to the bar   
for snacks, leaving Malfoy and Hermione alone. For a little bit, they   
stood there observing the scene, pretending the other wasn't in   
existence, but that got old real fast. Hermione wished she Harry   
would have stayed, she really wanted to dance, but he was off on his   
snack fixation. Which only left Malfoy.   
  
Instead of being a wallflower, I might as well talk to Malfoy, Hermione   
thought. He seemed…subdued. Besides, Ron or Harry aren't here,   
she added. She knew both of them would piss in their pants if they   
saw her even exchange a friendly 'hi' to him. Actually, if she was   
them, so would she. Shaking that thought off, Hermione uncrossed   
her arms and shouted over the rumbling bass.  
  
"Have you ever been to one of these?" Hermione yelled over the   
noise, and gestured to the dance floor. Malfoy only gave her a snooty   
smile and gazed off into the distance. Following his stare, Hermione   
had to supress a laugh. He was staring at some girl, an obvious   
bleach blonde, with a probable IQ of about 10. Inch long nails   
completed the totally catty look. Malfoy likes a hooker! Hermione   
thought. She made a mental note to tell Harry and Ron about the girl-  
It would probably give them a good laugh.  
  
When the song ended, Malfoy made a sudden movement in the girl's   
direction, but must have decided not to…and then decided against   
that. Hermione sat down, wishing fervently she had a video camera,   
all eyes on Malfoy and his little lust-object. He strode up to her, and   
must have asked her to dance, because immediately she extended   
her arm into the crowd, and pulled out a guy that was twice the size   
of Malfoy's 5'6" or so. They both glared at Malfoy who slunk away,   
defeated. Hermione was now laughing so hard that she thought she   
was going to wet herself.   
  
Gasping for breath and clutching a stitch in her side, Hermione   
managed to raise herself into a sitting position again. Malfoy must   
have seen her, because he came striding over to her, furious.  
  
"What do you think you're doing, you filthy mudblood?!" He shouted   
at her, over the speakers. Hermione continued laughing, knowing that   
even he couldn't hurt her here. He had a sharp tongue, but that was   
withstandable. Even for a mudblood like her.  
  
"HAHA! She gave you the ol' brush off! Not so suave with girls, I   
see…Maybe you should get a new personality, huh Malfoy!"   
Hermione managed to say before she collapsed in a new fit of   
giggles, Malfoy glaring insolently above her, when he did something   
very strange.  
  
Suddenly, Malfoy grabbed Hermione's arm, and tugged her towards   
the floor. Shocked, Hermione had no choice but to follow him and his   
lead. They stopped and Malfoy looked at her.  
  
"If you want to make fun of me, then you're going to dance with me   
instead."  
  
***  
  
Well, there's chapter 6, and I hope I got the whole Wiccan principles   
thing right. If anyone's Wiccan I hope you don't take offense to it or   
anything…not trying to make fun of it so back off.  
  
Chapter 7 up soon, and more Malfoy etc.!   
  
-Ice Princess  
  
  



	8. I Know You Better Than You Think

There was a demonic sort of glint in Malfoy's eyes that Hermione   
didn't like. She knew how he was. So Hermione ignored it and   
danced like she never had before.   
  
Surprisingly he was a good dancer; she hadn't really had the chance   
to see him at the Yule Ball. Omigod, Hermione suddenly thought.   
What about Krum? What's he going to think if he finds out…well   
how's he going to find out anyway? It's a silly little dance, no harm   
done. Too bad for him that he's in Bulgaria.  
  
Malfoy interrupted her thoughts by grabbing her arm again, and   
bringing her around to face him. He wasn't really that bad, Hermione   
thought. Just lose the attitude and he would be somewhat attractive.   
But as long as he didn't speak, she wasn't going to complain.  
  
***  
  
Harry, totally winded and gasping for breath, finished dancing with   
Cho and spotted Ron and Jenna across the room. They weaved their   
way across the room at sat down next to them.  
  
"Cho, this is Jenna, Jenna, Cho" Harry told them. They exchanged   
smiles and started talking, which was perfect timing for him and Ron   
to talk.  
  
"You like her?" Harry said to Ron, indicating Jenna. Ron nodded and   
smiled deviously. "Oooh Ron fancies someone!" He said teasingly.  
  
"Oh yeah Potter? Speak for yourself!" Ron said flippantly. "You finally   
nabbed her!" Harry punched Ron on the arm and they settled back   
into their chairs to drink their bottled water and observe the club.  
  
Suddenly, out of nowhere, Ron grabbed Harry's arm and pointed   
horrorstruck. Harry followed his gaze and it landed on Hermione and   
MALFOY?!  
  
"Omigod." Ron said in an undertone, shocked. He got up suddenly to   
most likely punch Malfoy, but Harry's arm restrained him.  
  
"Wait," said Harry, interested." Let's see what happens." Ron gave   
him a funny look and reluctantly sat back down.  
  
They watched them dance warily, as if they were parents of two   
hormonal teenagers. Finally, when the song ended, Malfoy put his   
arm around Hermione's neck (Ron jumped to his feet) and in slow   
motion, it seemed, brought their faces together (Harry jumped to his   
feet) and kissed her. She was unresisting.  
  
That did it, both of them couldn't reach Hermione fast enough. Jenna   
and Cho were at their heels, wondering what the heck was going on.   
They skidded next to a stop at Hermione's side, and started yelling.  
  
"What the hell d'ya think your.."  
  
"Are you crazy? You must be out of…"  
  
"Him? Of all people? Why couldn't…"  
  
Hermione merely turned around and pressed her fingers to both their   
lips, shushing them. Over her shoulder, Malfoy was smirking in a   
macho way.   
  
"Trust me." She smiled at them. Harry was somewhat puzzled by this   
and from Ron's look, so was he. He had only a few moments to   
ponder this before Hermione explained herself. In a big way.  
  
Hermione whipped around to face Malfoy. She grabbed his shirt and   
pulled him in close and kissed him again. Harry started toward them,   
but interestingly enough, Ron stopped him.   
  
"Wait." He whispered.  
  
Suddenly, Hermione pulled out of the kiss and mustering all the   
strength she had, shoved Malfoy directly into the wall.   
  
"You think I fell for that? I know you better than you think, you   
jackass. You thought you had me swept up in your arms, but it's the   
other way around, sweetie pie. You didn't come just because your   
mom made you, do you really think I'm that stupid? You're nothing to   
me, Malfoy."  
  
Everyone but Hermione was aghast. A burly security guard was   
approaching out of the corner of Harry's eye, but he didn't care.   
Malfoy was staring at Hermione, still against the wall, wide-eyed and   
sputtering like some kind of motor, brilliantly pink and totally shocked.  
  
"When you ask yourself why, just think of all the times you made fun   
of us. Now get out of my sight. You make me want to puke."   
  
***  
  
They had been kicked out of the club, and Jenna had called her   
parents to come pick the lot of them up. They were standing out on   
the sidewalk, still awestruck at Hermione. Even Cho and Jenna were   
impressed. Malfoy was sitting on a bench a couple yards away,   
sulking.  
  
The drive home was almost silent in Jenna's car. They dropped Cho   
off in the London suburbs, and 20 minutes later they came to a stop   
at Hermione's house. Jenna bid them all goodbye (looking   
significantly at Ron) and she drove away.  
  
Hermione, Ron, Harry and Malfoy tiptoed into her house. Ron snuck   
a glance at the kitchen clock. It read 1:30 am. Hermione coldly   
directed Malfoy to the couch in the den and then Harry and Ron   
made their way upstairs. They collapsed into their cots and fell   
asleep, each rehashing the day's events again and again until they   
drifted off into a peaceful slumber.  
  
***  
  
Downstairs in Hermione's den a minute crack appeared in the wall,   
unbeknownst to the trio upstairs. The room tingled with ancient magic   
for a second, and the crack sealed back up again. The ancient magic   
invoked to keep the Chamber of Secrets intact was wearing away   
with the passing minutes.   
  
***  
  
Hey please don't get mad at me for Malfoy...I warned you guys in the   
summary! Any flamers will be removed... more on the Chamber of  
Secrets in the coming chapters. R/R everyone!  
  
~Ice Princess  
  
  
  



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